Yearly Archives: 2021

He’s a semi-aquatic egg-laying mammal of LEGO

Phineas & Ferb was a work of genius. And for me, a central element of its appeal was the espionage adventures of Agent P — Perry the Platypus. In the immortal words of his theme tune, he’s got more than just mad skill, he’s got a beaver tail and a bill — and both of those are on display in PaulvilleMOCs‘ excellent LEGO version of the character. Sometimes I think those big Mixel tile eyes can be a little basic, and would prefer to see brick-built alternatives. However, the use of them here is a perfect choice, nicely reflecting the animation style of the model’s inspiration. Nice hat too.

Paul has previously built some of the other Phineas & Ferb characters in this style, including this brilliant rendition of Perry’s nemesis, Doctor Doofenshmirtz…

The Brothers Brick is funded by our readers and the community. Articles may include affiliate links, and when you purchase products from those links, TBB may earn a commission that helps support the site.

Feel the dominating presence of this Halo mech

LEGO builder Zio Chao has built this wonderfully detailed mech from the Halo Wars 2 game. The machine is covered in armaments, although its primary weapon appears to be the huge railgun at its shoulder. This Lego version is fully articulated; with a swiveling waist, movable arms, and an interesting gear system at the hips that allows the mech to pose its legs. With some great shaping across the build, Zio Chao has portrayed an excellent rendition of the original design.

The long prominent legs are used to stomp and stun enemies in the game so it seems fitting that they are exquisitely detailed in this model. A gear track piece runs through the middle of each leg adding an extra level of depth to the robotic aesthetic. The feet, although thin and sharp in design, provide enough surface area for the build to maintain its balance. Continue reading →

Some new pieces are doing the heavy-lifting.

The release of new LEGO themes often means new parts to play with, and the new VIDIYO theme has offered up some especially interesting new pieces for builders to find uses for. One of my favorite examples of this is the 4-D1 Heavy Cargo Lifter – ‘The Ant’ by Tom Loftus (Inthert). This tiny little ship makes use of two of the new VIDIYO box back pieces to create a flatbed for large cargo.

The box back is equal parts plate, bracket, and hinge, which makes it an ideal framework for a unique spacecraft like this. Below the flatbed, the rest of the ship is just barely larger than its single pilot cockpit, which really gives the impression that this craft lives up to its namesake – a tiny critter capable of lugging several times its own weight around.

Living in the sky with diamonds

Building with LEGO in microscale is something you either like or you don’t. I personally do not navigate towards it but I do really appreciate it when it is done by others. Kitkat1414 is no stranger to building in a small scale. When building in this style, you have to be a lot more creative when it comes to the parts you use. Builders also have to think outside the box when it comes to the construction techniques used to keep their creations together. This specific work by Kitkat1414 contains a lot of minifigure posing stands, although none of them is showing. I also really like the use of swords for the windmill blades. Also noteworthy is the use of the roller skates for door hinges. Last but not least, the Nexo Knights spider transformed into a cobblestone well also deserves a quick mention. Now all I need is a part small enough to pass for a coin to throw into that wishing well.

With 5,500 pieces, 10284 Camp Nou FC Barcelona is newest LEGO Creator Expert football stadium [News]

After teasing it earlier this week, LEGO is officially taking the wraps off its new Creator Expert set, expanding its foray into sporting venues with FC Barcelona’s famous 50-year-old arena, Camp Nou. Using 5,509 pieces, 10284 Camp Nou FC Barcelona depicts the largest-in-Europe stadium that’s home to the FC Barcelona football club. Once built, the model measures more than 18 inches wide and 8 inches tall. Camp Nou follows on the heels of LEGO’s previous football arena, 10272 Old Trafford-Manchester United, which was released in early 2020. Camp Nou is available starting today in LEGO stores and online for US $349.99 | CAN $449.99 | UK £299.99.

Be sure to read our full, hands-on review of 10284 Camp Nou FC Barcelona.

Check out more pictures

LEGO Creator Expert 10284 Camp Nou FC Barcelona [Review]

Football fans worldwide are in for a treat (as are the soccer fans in the US) as LEGO has created a scale model of FC Barcelona’s massive Camp Nou. The slogan on the bleachers reads “Més que un club,” which translates from the Catalan as “More than a club.” Can LEGO Creator Expert 10284 Camp Nou FC Barcelona hope to live up to that lofty promise? Available now for US $349.99 | CAN $449.99 | UK £299.99, this 5509 piece set isn’t about to back down. Come along as we take a deep dive into this highly-anticipated set!

The LEGO Group provided The Brothers Brick with an early copy of this set for review. Providing TBB with products for review guarantees neither coverage nor positive reviews.

Click to read the full hands-on review

LEGO starts a new pilot in UK testing existing products variants [News]

Today, September 1 LEGO is launching a new pilot project in the UK, offering existing products in new colors and sizes. Five new sets based on products released in past will be available from LEGO.com and selected retailers, like Tesco and Smyths. The new sets will be available through November 30, or while stocks last.

According to the official statement by LEGO,

The pilot has been designed to help us gain a better understanding of what our fans want from our portfolio and where they prefer to shop for new or unique products.

The pilot includes variations of some of our existing products, so we can find out more about the colors and sizes of sets that fans of all ages want to see more of in our portfolio.

Continue reading →

Research station amid a vibrant reef

Working with a new part can be a challenge. Finding how they fit into the system can lead to surprises and disappointments. Ultimately, dedicated builders like Tom Loftus find a way. Armed with tons of teal from the Ninjago Jungle Dragon and challenged to examine the functionality of the transparent VIDIYO Canopy (as he calls it), Tom found himself under the sea at this Reef Station. He gave me some insight into some of the extra pieces he worked into the model, including finally making use of the drone elements introduced last year.

Read on to see more of the details in this colorful underwater scene

New UCS-style LEGO Batman 76240 Batmobile Tumbler from The Dark Knight revealed [News]

This morning Amazon Japan has revealed a new LEGO version of the Batmobile Tumbler from The Dark Knight. 76240 Batmobile Tumbler is the second Ultimate Collector Series-style iteration of Batman’s ride from Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy. Slated for release on Nov. 1, this new version will have 2,049 pieces, about 200 more than the previous 76023 Batmobile Tumbler from 2014. Amazon lists it for ¥25,330, which is about $230 USD | $290 CAD | £170 GBP. Although much larger than minifigure scale, like most recent UCS-style sets, it includes a few minifigures to display on the rotating stand. You’ll get minifigure versions of Christian Bale’s Batman and Heath Ledger’s Joker, both of which appear to be new designs.

Click to see more images

Wall Maria is breached! The Titans have come!

“Are we the prey? No, we are the hunters!” Attack on Titan, or its original title Shingeki no Kyojin, is a tragic tale which starts out as humanity’s struggle against monsters, but evolves into an exploration of the evils of human nature, war, politics, more. Originally a Manga series that has been adapted into a high quality anime show, it has reached mainstream popularity and will now air its final season. Builder Pieter Dennison commemorates the very first episode with the town of Shiganshina being attacked by Titans.

This scene is just draws you in with the detailed buildings and uneven streets, forcing you to take a closer look at the way Pieter manipulates LEGO pieces to give this build a rough, aged feel. There is plenty of subtle use of texture and discolouration that doesn’t distract from the action that takes place. Minifigs representing townspeople flee from the Titan, which devours an unlucky soul. The soldiers of the Survey Corps swoop in from above with Spider-Man-esque manoeuvring gear to take down the grotesque monster. But can they save humanity from this mysterious threat?

This action-packed scene already got one of the opening songs stuck in my head…
“Seid ihr das Essen?
Nein, wir sind die Jäger!”

These Studio Ghibli characters look fantastic in brick form

Tino Poutianen has built this fabulous creation, based on characters from the anime film, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. In the build of the ostrich-like bird, named Kai, claw parts have been used to create sprouting tail feathers of the bird. The lanky, tall proportions of the creature are perfectly captured through the use of long plant pot pieces at the legs. The ancient swordsman, Lord Yupa, has a cleverly constructed cloak over his arm with even a croissant piece used for his moustache. Tino has been able to portray the bulbous proportions of Yupa’s costume through a variety of rounded pieces while conveying the mysterious aesthetic of the famous warrior.

Historic Linderei train station at 1:45 scale

Trains remain one of the strongest fandoms out there, bringing tons of people together in the LEGO community. Intent on expanding and upgrading, fans of LEGO trains spend hours and weeks building models such as this for their displays. The efforts often pay off, resulting in beautiful reproductions of real-life landmarks. This model of Linderei Station from 1912 was built by Pieter Post to go along with another builder’s works for a larger display. The beauty of LEGO train builders is they can literally connect their worlds together.

Continue reading →